Russia not to close embassy in Damascus and base in Tartus

Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, June 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russia does not intend to close its embassy in Damascus and the technical support base in Tartus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday after the talks with his Moroccan counterpart Saad-Eddine Al-Othmani.

"All these are rumors that are meant to prepare grounds for actions to change the regime," the minister said.

The Minister said that such reports are rumors. “Is it the Guardian that has written it? Can it be true that Al-Jazeera was late? It's all rumors and speculations from the category of provocation, which are intended to pave the way for efforts to change the regime /in Syria/”, said the minister. “The Embassy is working normally, in regard to the performance of the functions of the diplomatic mission, the work flows in stressful, dangerous conditions.” “It is highly appreciated by the Russian leadership,” he added.

“People work professionally, with full dedication, regardless of personal time,” noted the head of Russian Foreign Ministry. “The information comes regularly, and it’s extremely clear, with conclusions and proposals, and with estimates of the prospects for development of the situation.”

Regarding support base of the Russian Navy ships in Tartus, Lavrov stressed that any talk of evacuation points, as well as his staff, is not. "There's no military, and no very long time," - he said, adding that working in Tartus civilians "do everything to point to function."